Board Awards
AIA Kansas City is pleased to honor Board Award recipients each year at our annual Holiday Party. These individuals are true champions of the profession and the understanding of the impact design has on a community.
The Board Awards recognize leadership achievement at significant stages in an individual’s professional development. Awards include:
The Chapter Volunteer Award recognizes a member who provides support to our chapter’s mission.
The Emerging Professional Award salutes young professional leadership.
The Gold Medal Award honors a lifetime of design leadership.he Firm Award honors outstanding practice contributions.
The President’s Award honors leaders who support the mission of our profession.
Call for Nominations comes out in the fall of each year.
2023 Gold Medal Award
Neal Angrisano, AIA
The Gold Medal Award recognizes an AIA Kansas City member for longstanding, distinguished leadership and dedication to architecture, the profession, and the community. The award is our chapter’s highest honor. This award shines a spotlight on a member who, by his or her example and service, has made significant contributions to the advancement of the profession and to the community.
The 2023 Gold Medal Award was presented to Neal Angrisano, AIA. Neal's remarkable contributions to architecture, demonstrated through exemplary leadership, innovation, and dedication, have earned him this prestigious accolade.
Throughout his distinguished career, Neal has showcased an extraordinary commitment to the architecture profession, as evidenced by his impactful roles at both national and local levels within the AIA. His service on the AIA National Strategic Council for the past 3 years and as the Value of Architecture Area of Study Chair exemplifies his focus on shaping the leadership role that our profession and organization should play.
In addition to his national contributions, Neal's tenure as AIA Kansas City President in 2009, AIA Kansas President in 2006, and his recent service on the AIA-AGC Joint Committee were notable for his ability to lead and collaborate, leaving a lasting impact on the local architectural community.
Beyond official roles, Neal's mentorship and commitment to fostering the next generation of architects have left an indelible mark on our profession.
His lifetime of distinguished service, dedication, and impact on the architecture community make him a truly deserving recipient.
2023 Firm Award
Finkle + Williams Architecture
The Firm Award was presented to an AIA Kansas City Member Firm that has shown exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the profession and the built environment.
The 2023 Firm Award was presented to Finkle + Williams Architecture.
In celebration of their 25th anniversary, Finkle + Williams Architecture's recent transition to 100% employee ownership reflects their commitment to a collaborative and inclusive work environment. Founders Greg Finkle and Dave Williams have created a remarkable firm culture, attracting both talent and clientele. The firm's dedication to community engagement is evident in their volunteer work with local charities, support for non-profit entities, and involvement in education outreach programs.
This year has seen a series of triumphs for the firm, including notable projects like the Lenexa Justice Center, Paragon Star Soccer Complex & Village, Masters Transportation, and more. Finkle + Williams Architecture's collaborative approach extends to partnerships with industry experts and contractors, fostering better architecture and stronger relationships.
The firm readily supports involvement in AIA Kansas City by its associates. Finkle + Williams has had three associates graduate from our Pillars Program. Other members from the firm have served as a committee co-chair, and Emerging Professional Director and President on our board.
Their visionary leadership, commitment to employee ownership, and profound impact on the built environment make Finkle + Williams Architecture exceptionally deserving of the
AIA Kansas City Firm Award.
Chapter Volunteer Award:
Brooke Craig, AIA
The Chapter Volunteer Award is awarded to an AIA Kansas City member who has given exceptional volunteer support for and made significant contributions to the chapter.
The 2023 Chapter Volunteer Award was presented to Brooke Craig, AIA, for her outstanding dedication and exceptional contributions to the architectural community and beyond.
Brooke's impact on AIA Kansas City has been substantial over the last seven years. She has demonstrated unwavering commitment to our chapter, starting with her participation in the Pillars leadership program in 2016. Her leadership extended to the Pillars Steering Committee and the Elections Committee, showcasing her diverse skills and commitment to shaping the future of the profession.
Notably, Brooke played a pivotal role in the success of KC Design Week for the past three years, culminating in her recent two-year commitment as Co-Chair. Her leadership in this vital initiative exemplifies her focused effort to elevate the local design community.
In essence, Brooke Craig epitomizes the spirit of the Chapter Volunteer Award, showcasing unparalleled dedication, passion, and leadership.
2023 Emerging Professional Award
Jaasiel Duarte-Terraza, Assoc. AIA
The Emerging Professional Award goes to an AIA Kansas City member who has shown exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the profession in the early stages of their architecture career.
The 2023 Emerging Professional Award went to Jaasiel Duarte-Terraza, Assoc. AIA.
Jaasiel has made his mark over the past two years in his position as co-chair of the Young Architects Forum committee. He has worked diligently to reinvigorate the legendary Monsters of Design competition that showcases the design work of our young chapter members. He has also hosted numerous programs and put together new grad kits to make all of our young members feel welcomed.
Jaasiel is very involved in the local art community. He has had three exhibitions in this last year including two here in Kansas City and one in Mexico City.
Jaasiel is a great example to his peers and co-workers and is a natural choice for Emerging Professional of the year.
2023 President's Award:
Legends & Leaders Project
The President's Award recognizes members of the Kansas City community who has consistently advocated on the value of quality design for the benefit of our community, particularly through the built environment.
This President’s Award goes to the Legends & Leaders project led by Frank Zilm, FAIA, Cindy Frewen, FAIA, James Evrard, AIA, and Roger Reed. This dedicated group of members took on an exciting project aimed at preserving our chapter’s history while capturing history in the making.
This volunteer team has retrieved more than 40 tape recordings from the AIA Kansas City Collection at the State Historical Society of Missouri in Columbia. Our College of Fellows members generously underwrote the costs for converting these tapes from old analog tape format to digital files that our chapter can now present online.
During the second phase of this project the team began building on this rich collection with a new round of interviews. The first suite of new videos was launched in conjunction with
BIG NIGHT in September. The goal is to complete one interview a month, and a new video is posted on our website each month.
This project is only just beginning, and there are many more AIA Kansas City leaders that need to be documented.
